


Just Another Day at Night Vale High

by httpsawesome



Series: Night Vale in High School [1]
Category: Welcome to Night Vale
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, M/M, Pre-Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-08-16
Updated: 2013-08-16
Packaged: 2017-12-23 14:39:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,562
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/927689
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/httpsawesome/pseuds/httpsawesome
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Cecil is the unpopular kid who is disappointed no one is picked to host the school news yet. Carlos moved in a few months ago and has made quite the impression on our dear Cecil. Also the teachers aren't helping at all.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Just Another Day at Night Vale High

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first time posting my work! Sorry about any possible typos and whatnot.

"Good morning Night Vale High School students." The droning voice of the principle was heard over the intercoms. Seriously, Cecil would say she sounds like a vacuum but vacuums haven’t been known to draw him to sleep.

Except for that one time that will never ever be talked about.

"The Student Council wants you all to know that room 385 is out of bounds to everyone. No exceptions."

"All students should be aware that -" Oh look, another kid fell asleep. Cecil knew because his head fell with a loud and probably painful thunk on his desk. A few other people sniggered and he woke up instantly. 

They really need someone else to be in charge of the school’s news. Preferably a student. One that has a lot of experience with public speaking and can definitely work an intercom.  

Maybe one who’s name starts with ‘C’

and ends with ‘ecil Palmer'.

But almost anyone would do.

Except not really. 

"Today is the day that we were told that the lucky student chosen to take over the announcements is announced. ”

Cecil leaned forward in his seat in excitement. He’s been waiting all this week to find out who it would be. He thinks back to the auditions that were held for it in the audio room; he thought he did a fantastic job, even if they did say he has been leaving his own comments now and then. He was confident, spoke clearly, and he’ll be damned if someone is chosen other than him. 

Especially if it is Carlsberg.

That jerk.

"Our superiors have informed us that they have not yet made a decision, and will have the perfect candidate by tomorrow.”

What?! But they promised that it would be today!

"Um, Cecil." His history teacher said patiently. "No talking during the announcements. Thank you."

Oh.

Cecil blushed and looked down at his desk, very embarrassed at his outburst. If he thought he heard muffled laughter before, then he is sourly mistaken. He heard one person mutter ‘What’s got his panties in a bunch?’ loud enough for most of the room to hear it clearly.

And of course the teacher didn’t call them out on it. 

"That is all for today. Continue on with your lessons." The batty old principle signed off.

"Now, if there aren’t anymore interruptions." The history teacher looked pointedly at Cecil, who blushed even darker and sunk lower in his seat. More laughter followed. 

The teacher started the lesson for that day and Cecil actively payed attention and interacted with the class, feeling the need to make up for what he did earlier, despite the fact it was an accident.  

It didn’t help that someone from the back threw spitballs at him a few times. (He knew who it was too. He wasn’t going to react to him because he isn’t going to give him the satisfaction of knowing that he is bothering him.)

That was how the class period went, right up to when the bell rang and someone shoved him on their way out the classroom. This is actually how almost every day is like for him.

He’s used to the treatment by now. But that doesn’t mean that he likes it. 

He walked to his locker and started opening the lock to get inside, when he was interrupted by a tentative voice. “Hey uh, Cecil.”

He wasn’t sure who he assumed it was, maybe someone else who wants to ask about the stupid rumors that state that he has a third eye or he is some kind of freakish thingamabob.

"Carlos!" Cecil exclaimed a little too excitedly. “I mean - uh, hi Carlos.” Okay calm down. Don’t say anything extremely stupid because the newest and most attractive student decided to talk to you today. 

"You have - uh, here let me," Carlos reached up and gently took out a wad of still slightly damp paper that was stuck in his hair. 

Dammit. 

"That is gross and slightly humiliating." Cecil said. "Thanks for that."

"No problem, wouldn’t want you to go through your day as normal only to realize you had that in your hair when you get home."

"Exactly, it’s like looking in the mirror after a long day and realizing that you have something in your teeth."

"I hate it when that happens, and it’s even worse if you have no idea how long it’s been there."

"Ugh, yeah I know. It’t just horrible."

Carlos smiled cutely and looked down for a second, as if gathering courage for something he knows he is not brave enough to do, and looks back up at Cecil with his perfect hair and perfect eyes and perfect face. 

"I heard about the announcement thing on today’s, well, announcement. It sucks that they didn’t pull through. I know you were excited about finding out who was picked.”

"You do?" Of course, Cecil would have talked the ears off of anybody willing to listen about how much he wanted to be ‘The Voice of Night Vale’ as they so call it, but he can’t recall ever having the chance to tell Carlos. 

"I talked to Dana, she told me."

"Ah,"

Carlos didn’t say anything for a while, and the both of them sat in an awkward silence.

Really awkward silence. 

Cecil was tempted to just scream out the first word to come to mind just so it could be broken. He has more manners than that though.

"Um - was that uh, all you wanted to tell me?" That sounded a lot ruder out loud than in his head. "That sounded really rude I’m sorry I didn’t mean it that way -"

Usually he is so good with words but for some reason Carlos has him tongue-tied.

"No, no it’s fine." Carlos interrupted, thus cutting Cecil off from his rambling. "Actually I was meaning to ask you something else related to what happened this morning."

"Okay." Cecil nodded to show that he was listening.

"So, since you have another day and all - "

The bell rang, signaling the start of second period. 

Cecil wanted to internally scream. He couldn’t have just a few more minutes?!

Carlos seemed to be asking himself the same thing. “I’ll ask you later. Alright?”

"Yeah, I’ll be here. Well not right here - you know what I mean."

Carlos smiled and walked off to where Cecil assumes is the direction of his locker. 

Cecil sped-walked to his next class and sat down with a gigantic grin on his face. 

Not even getting chewed out in front of the class by his horrendous teacher is going to dampen his mood. 

He talked to Carlos! And he’s going to get a chance to talk to him  _again!_

He could just scream.

—————————————————————————————————————————————-

Carlos sat down at his desk not feeling any less nervous then he was five minutes ago. 

Five minutes ago.

When he was talking to Cecil. 

And he completely  _choked up._

Why is he even allowed around people he obviously can’t act like a normal human being in social situations.

Granted, they did talk to each other very easily. The small talk was good. Completely casual, not forced at all. (Even though the topic of the conversation was coming home to stuff stuck in your teeth. ) It was better and less awkward than a lot of the other situations he got himself into over the years. 

But he still couldn’t even ask Cecil the question he’s been building himself up for. 

_"So since you have another day before someone is chosen, maybe I could help you practice for what you might say? After school?"_

He’s such an idiot. 

At least he has another chance. That’s good, right?

_'Yeah,'_ He thought to himself.  _'Another chance to mess up.'_

_'Be quiet you.'_ He hissed back. 

Maybe he shouldn’t try again. It’s already established that he couldn’t ask him the first time, and when he tried nothing come out and he just stood there silently like a moron. 

No, he already told Cecil that he was going to ask him something and he is going to do it and do it right!

_'You could always come up with a different question.'_ He thought.  _'One less likely to get rejected.'_

Cecil isn’t the type of person to not have already practiced excessively. He’s clearly very confident that not only would he be chosen and he probably already has everything he wanted to do down to a point. 

And it’s not like Carlos would be much help. He’s terrible with words and a horrible public speaker.

Can you imagine that? A couple months ago, he comes in as the new student, and makes a reputation for himself as the kid that can barely piece together a complete sentence in the English language.    

Why would Cecil even want to spend time with him?

No, stop thinking like that. He has to be positive he has to - 

"Carlos," Ms. Danvers, the sixty something math teacher said. "Could you answer the question up on the board please?"

Carlos took a moment to look at the equations present. “a equals 42^2 ma’am.” 

She looked a bit put out, obviously thinking Carlos was not paying attention. “That is correct. Thank you Carlos.”

Numbers he got. They were easy to understand. Words weren’t. Words mix up and meanings get lost. Misunderstandings happen. 

He really hopes no misunderstandings happen next time he talks to Cecil.

—————————————————————————————————————————————-

 

 

  
  



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